Building construction



Sept. 29, 1953 M. o. BRANNON BUILDING CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Shree?l 1Filed Dec. 7, 1951 ATTORNEYS Sept. 29, 1953 M. o. BRANNON BUILDINGcoNsTRUcTroN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 7, 1951 l 3 6 7 0 5 6 r\/ L VAFJ 3 7 3 O V a ...J 7 f W, 3 ,do 5 2 Uv M14 .V 6 2 3 7 N w L 7 f 6 2 8 22 6 B 1re/ 1 .lwl (IAM .E f w F Wl A n Nl 2 w 6 a T A f Oni 0 72 Q 4 HMx 3 w 0 2v..

f lNvENToR: MHV/NMA//rm ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 29, 1953 UNITED STATES.PATENT OFFICE 2,653,356 BUILDING coNs'rRC'rIo Melvin Brannon,Waynesville, N. 'Application December 7, 1951, serial No. ecosse Thisinvention relates to building construction and more especially to animproved building construction yernboilying the use of a plurality ofprefabricated panel assemblies and to the novel constructonlof saidpanel assemblies. l

I t is an object of v this invention to provide means whereby buildingsmay be vconstructed quickly 'and at low cost with a minimum amount ofmaterials. Buildings of this type are particularly useful as so-called`temporary buildings in defense -or Government vprojects and also maybeused for many other purposes where a building 'of light weightconstruction is practical and desirable. l o o l It is an object of thisinvention to provide a building formed from a plurality of prefabricatedpanel assemblies, each of said panel assemblies having 'an upper andlower beam and a plurality of horizontally spaced vertically disposedstuds connetingsaid upper` and lower beams. The studs are positioned outof horizontaljalinement with 'each other and panels, vsuch as wallboard, are secured to the studs. The lfact that the studs are out ofhorizontal alinement causes the wall board to assume a bowedN orirregular shape which serves te increase the strength f the ran'els 'andthe resulting 'panel `assembly'.t `plurality of these panel assembliesmay be intercnnectedand extended at substantially right angles to eachother to foif'm "the walls 'fja puil'diiifgaildupaiiel assemblies o fsimilar construction be fsecured5 over the upper vedges 'of said wallsto forni a ro'of. Y

llit is another `bect ofr thisini/entii to provide Y a Wallunitorpan'ell assembly for building constructi'ii which panel assemblyeasily ecoh'ornib'ally constructed and wherein maximum sirngnii isarrordu in light weight construction. The wall una or panel assemblycb'riiplise's an upper and lower beam, the bntrinst outer edges of theupper 'and lliivvifgr paiiishbing 'silbst'aiitial'ly flat and theopposite endmost buter edges of the 'upper and lower beams b'iilg cui aiari ngi to iijclirier inwardly friii 'dieser ceiitmost 'outer edge sothat each of theilpper and lower beams. will haveV three substantiallynat edge surfaces, which surfaces Aare vnot in aliiinlelit with 'eachpiiiei. 4 A pliiialiiypi studs ar' provided extending'betwen the upper(arid lower beams land having their outer e ges in alirieni with 'iilouter gefflill're lippe; iid lower ricains, with the ve Y Y i poiiilbdiiiivfdl'y ffii .me eiiiimpii sidi; A siiiiai had.' sich givin. paraisernia@ ilis studs and tthe upper aiiuliver beams 3 Claims. (Cl. 20-2)2 by extending a horizontally disposed panel across the frame formedfrom the studs andbeams to cause the panel to be bent kat vat least twopoints intermediate its ends to conform to the conguration of theskeleton lframeforrned from the beams and studs. 'Ilie'completeolpanelassembly will thus comprise at least three sections which aresubstantially flat fand which extend atl slight angles to each other sothat the overall panel as sembly or wallunit will have an outwardlybowed appearance. By bowing the wall unit in Vthis manner, additionalstructural strength is added to the same and, eac'hwof the sectionsthereof being iiat, permits the insertion of windows, doors or the likewith alf'nijnimum amount of diiiculty. Some of the objects of theinvention having been stated* other Ajc'lbjects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection withY the accompanyingdrawings, in whichn l Figure l is an isometric view of a building of thetype Whichmay be formed with the improved panel assemblie`s`; o K

Figure 2is a top plan view of the building shown in Figure 1 on areduced scale; l

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional View taken substantiallyalong the line 3-3 in Figure 2; Y

Figure 4 is a fragmentary isometric View with parts broken awaynan'dparts shown in dotted lines looking at one inside corner of thebuildingshown in Figure 1 and looking substantially along the line "4--4in Figure 1. l

Referring more specifically to the drawings, there will be observed abuilding broadly designated at Il] WhichY is formed from a plurality ofpanel assemblies or wall units made according to the present invention.Each of these panel assemblies isV made as a separate unit and may beprefabricated before being moved to the site of the building or may befabricated at the site of the building before the building is erected.The building I0 is shown for purposes of illustrationonly and it will bereadily observed `that the panel assembliesmay, according to thisinvention,vbe utilized to lform buildings of varying dimensions andcharacter. l

The building I6 has side walls ll and I2, a rear wall I3 and a frontwall I4. In this illustration, each of the walls Il, I2, I3 and Illcomprisesa single panel assembly or wall `unit made according to theinvention.w'lhe panelassemblies or wall units Il; I2, I3v and I4 are ofsubstantially identical construction and, therefore, only the panelassembly I I will `be described in detail, and like parts of the panelassemblies I2, rI3 and I4 will bear like reference characters and, Whereminor changes are present, these will be speciiically described.

t will thus be observed that the frame of the panel assembly or wallunit II comprises a bottom beam or shoe 29 and a top beam or plate 2 I,each having the same configuration. The beams 2t and 2l are wider at thecentermost portions thereof than at each end and the centerrnost outeredges thereof are flat and substantially parallel with the oppositeedges thereof, as at 22. These flat edge medial portions 22 preferablyextend substantially one-third of the entire length of the respectivebeams and 2|. Each of the opposite endmost outer edges of the beams 2dand 2 are cut at an angle relative to the inner edges or longitudinalaxis thereof, as at 23 and 2e, and the edges 23 and 24 extend inwardlyso that the beams 2li and 2| are of lesser width at opposite endsthereof than at the center portions thereof. The opposite end edges ofthe beams 2d and 2| are mitred or beveled, as at 25, for connecting thesame to similar beams of adjacent panels extending at an angle thereto.The innermost edge of each of the beams 2% and 2l is preferably straightthroughout its length, as will be observed at 26.

The beams 2t and 2| are connected at their opposite ends by verticalstuds 2'I and 28. The studs 2l and 28 are disposed at an angle so theouter surfaces thereof are in alinement with the mitred surfaces 25 atthe ends of the beams 2Q and 2i and whereby the vertical studs 2'I and28 will t flush with similar vertical studs on the adjacent panelassemblies I4 and I3.

The vertical studs 2l and 28 are secured at their opposite ends to thebeams 2|] and- 2| by any suitable means such as nails, not shown.Disposed intermediate the ends of the beams 2| and 22 are a pair ofhorizontally spaced intermediate vertical studs and 3|. The studs 30 and3| connect the beams 2| and 20 and span the distance therebetween andare suitably connected thereto at their opposite ends, by any suitablemeans such as nails, not shown. The stud Sd is positioned at thejuncture of the edges 22 and 25 and the stud 3| is positioned at thejuncture of the edges 22 and 24. It is thus seen that the studs 2?, 28,33 and 3| divide each of the panel assemblies or wall units II, I2, I3and if; into three portions or sections, namely, a center section 32,and end sections 33 and 34, each of said sections being substantiallyflat and disposed in angular relation toI the other of said sections.

Now, panels or sheets of wall board, such as plywood or any othersuitable wall board, are suitably secured to the outermost surface ofthe frame comprising the studs 2l, 2'8, 3B and 3| and the beams 2i) and2i. A rst or lower sheet of wall board et has its opposite end edgessecured to the studs 2l and 2S, as by nails 4I, and the lowermost edgeof the wall board 4i] is preferably substantially flush with thelowermost edge of the shoe it, although it is evident that the panellili may extend below the shoe 2B. This sheet of wall board it normallyextends substantially half the height of the panel assembly II. A secondor upper panel or sheet of wall board 42 is suitably secured to theupper portion of the frame comprising studs 28, 3Q and 3| and plate 2|,the opposite ends of the panel 42 being suitably secured to the studs 2land 28, as by additional nails tl. The panels or sheets of wall boardIIJ and 52 extend over the outer edges Q the Sud 30 and 3l and aresuitably secured thereto, as by additional nails fil. The upper edge ofthe upper panel or sheet of wall board :l2 extends substantially abovethe upper edge of the beam or plate 2| and this upper edge slightlylower in the centermost portion thereof, as at 53, than at the outermostend portions thereof for purposes to` be described.

It is preferred that the proximate edges of the panels 4l) and 42 bebeveled downwardly and outwardly and relatively thin sealing strips S besuitably secured to the inner surfaces of the panels il@ and 42 at theirjunctures (Figure Kl). The sealing strips extend between the studs andassist in sealing the joint formed at the juncture of adjacent panels.

A particular advantage of a panel assembly of this type is that wallboard or standard dimensions may be used with a minimum amount ofcutting. It will be observed that the wall board when secured to thestuds 2l, 23, Sii and 3i, defining the sections 32, 33 and Se, provideda flat outer surface for each of the sections 32, 33 and 34. The sheetsof wall board or panels lll), 42 are thus bent intermediate their endsat the points at which they are secured to the studs Sli and tI and thisbending lends additional strength to the completed panel assembly, Wallboard is usually sold in convenient sizes of approximately four feetwide and eight, ten or twelve feet long. l't will thus be seen that byusing panels of wall board of these dimensions, a panel assembly, suchas the panel assembly il, will be approximately eight feet high andwo-uld be from eight to twelve feet long. Thus, a plurality of suchpanel assemblies will readily facilitate constructing a building of thetype described.

It should be understood, however, that the particular dimensions of thepanels or sheets of wall board are not critical and these dimensions aregiven for purposes of illustration only in order to indicate the mannerin which panels or sheets of wall board of sizes readily available onthe market may be conveniently used in constructing these improved wallunits or panel assemblies.

Now, in erecting a building from .a plurality of panel assemblies, suchas the panel assemblies II, I2, I3 and I4, a suitable slab 50 or otherflooring of conventional or other type is provided, and the lower beamor shoe 20 of each of the panel assemblies II, I2, I3 and I4 is suitablysecured to the upper surface, of the slab 50, at one edge thereof, as byanchor bolts 5I, which are embedded in the slab 50. 'I'he mitred ends 25of the beam or shoe 20 will, thus, be positioned at the corners of theslab 50 and will extend inwardly from said corners bisecting the same(Figure 4). With the panel assemblies I I and I2 in position, the panelassemblies I3 and I4 may be secured to the rear and front edges of theslab 50 in a like manner so that the endmost studs 2'I and 28 of thepanel assemblies or wall units I4 and I3 will be positioned flush withthe corresponding endmost studs 21 and 28 of the panel assemblies II andI2. 'I'hese proximate endmost studs may then be secured together as bybolts 52 (Figures 3 and 4). It will thus be observed that thesubstantially rectangularly arranged side Walls are formed for thebuilding I0.

Now, the roof for the building I0 is formed from a single panel assemblyor a plurality of panel assemblies of similar construction to that ofthe wall units. 'I'he roof, as illustrated, is

.formed from two roof panel assemblies 55 and 55. Vthe -,panelv`assen'xbly 55 being Vpositioned Viat thefront of the building `=I I)fand'extendi'ng transversely thereof and the'pa'nel lassembly 55coveri-,ng the rearmost .portion of vrthe building.

Since the yroof fpanel assemblies 55 'and '55' are identical, -exceptvopposite hand, nonly the panel assembly -55 will be described 'andlikefreference characters will apply to thepanel assernbly 5 5 with theprime notation added. The roof panel assembly 55 comprises a pluralityof'transversely extending ribs l6I), which may also ire termed asrafters. The lower edge 'of 'earch -of the Yribs -60 is preferablystraight, as vat'lil, fand opposite ends thereof are rcut perpendicularto the lower edge, as at 62. The upper f'edge of each of the -r-ibsAIiI'I -is Acut to substantially the same configuration as the outeredges of the beams 1.26 and 2| `so that a fiat or horizontally disposedcenter section 63 is formed with two slanting end sections 64 and 65,respectively.

Secured to the upper surfaces of the ribs 60 are panels or sheets ofwal-l board 56 an'd 17. The panels vor sheets of wall board may beplywood or of anylother suitable material and are secured to the ribs orrafters 6I), as by nails which are omitted from the drawings forpurposes of clarity. It will be observed that, in a building of the sizeillustrated in Figure l, the panel 66 extends outwardly beyond theoutermost 60 and also extends from the rearmost or outermost rib 60 tothe third rib 60 and the panel 61, which is of lesser width than thepanel 66, spans the distance between the third rib 60 Vand the foremostor innermost rib 60 of the section 55. It will be observed that thepanels 66 and 67 are bent intermediate their ends at the junctures ofthe surfaces 63, 64 and 65 on the ribs 60 to form three substantially atsurfaces to the roof, including a center horizontally disposed surfaceand slanting surfaces extending from ach side of the center horizontally-disposed surace.

The opposite ends of the ribs 60 of the panel assemblies 55 and 55 aresuitably secured to the upper surfaces of beams which extend the entirelength of the side panels II and I2. The beams 10 are of identicalconfiguration to the beams and 2| and the ribs 60 are preferably securedthereto, as by nails 1I. It will thus be observed that the roof panelassemblies 55 and 55 are secured together, to form a composite roof, bymeans of the beams 10.

A similar beam 'I2 is secured to the lower surface of the rearmost rib60 of the roof section 55 and to the foremost rib 60 of the roof section55. These beams 12 are of the same configuration as the beams o-r plates2| and are adapted to rest upon the plates 2| of the corresponding rearand front panels I3 and I4. The beams I0 and 'I2 may be secured to theupper beams 2| of the panel assemblies II, I2, I3 and I4, as by bolts'I3 (Figures 3 and 4). It will thus be observed that the entire buildingI0 is secured together to form a compact unit from panel assemblies madeaccording to this novel construction.

Now, it will be observed that the rear panel assembly I3 and the frontpanel assembly I4 are slightly different from the side panel assembliesII and I2. This difference lies in the configuration of the uppermostedges of the panels 42 thereof. In order to have the uppermost portionsof the front and rear walls conform to the configuration of the panels65 and 66 of the roof panel assemblies 55 and 55', it is necessary thatthese walls extend upwardly a sub-` stanti'al distance beyond the uppersurfaces vof the corresponding beams 2| and the yupper edges thereof becut to conform to the configuration of the roof line.

The sidewalls II and I2 must` also conform to the roof li'ne and, sincethese walls are bowed outwardly, the panels 56 and 66 contacttheautermost upper edges at the center thereof at different elevationsthan the points vat 'which they contact the endmost upper edges thereof.Consequently, the `panels yof the side panel assemblies II and I2 mustbe cut so that the centermost portions 43 ther-eci` are slightly lowerthan the end portions thereof. It will thus be' observed that thepanels56,51, 66' and 6l of the roof panel assemblies 55 and 55' flt closelyagainst the upper edges of the panels 42 on the Wall 'units or panelassemblies II, I2, I3 and I4 and a small overhang or eaves portion isprovided around the-entire building I 0.

Now, one of the features of this building construction is the simplicitywith which doors or windows may be installed, if desired. rIhis is dueto the fact that each of the sections 32, 33

and 34 of the wall units or panel assemblies is flat and is notl bowedbetween the studs. For purposes of illustration only, the front wallvunit I4 of the building I0 issho'v'vn as being provided with 'a door81) and windows 8| and 82. The doolI may be provided by cutting asuitable opening i'n the section 32 fof the front panel assembly I4 andfacing the 'saine with framing 83 to form a door jamb and,if'fdes-iredfa suitable stop 84 may be provided. The window 8| isprovided by cutting an opening in the section 34 of the front panelassembly I4 and facing the same with framing 85. The window 82 may beformed in a like manner by cutting an opening in the section 33 of thepanel assembly I4 and facing the same with framing 86. Windows or doorsmay be provided in the other sections of the building as desired.

It will thus be observed that there is provided an improved form ofbuilding construction which comprises a panel assembly having a pair ofhorizontal beams spanned by a plurality of studs to form at least threeflat sections to said panel assembly wherein said sections extend at anangle to each other to give the panel assembly a bowed appearance foradding strength thereto and whereby a plurality of said panel assembliesmay be readily connected to each other to form a building.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not forpurposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaims.

I claim:

1. A structural unit for building construction comprising upper andlower beams, the inner edges of said beams being straight, the outeredges of said beams each being out to define at least three straightedges the centermost of which is parallel to the inner edge of said beamand the endmost of which extend inwardly toward said inner edge of saidbeam, a plurality of studs having their opposite ends secured to saidbeams to hold said beams in spaced relation to each other, the outeredges of said studs being flush with the outer edges of said beams,sheets of wall board connected to the outer edges of said studs and saidbeams and conforming in curvature tothe outer edges of said beams toform three substantially at panels to said unit, the opposite ends ofeach of said beams being beveled and the endmost studs connecting saidbeams being positioned at an angle to conform to said bevel, whereby aplurality of said units may be connected to each other in rightangularrelation to each other to form the walls of a building.

2. A building formed from a plurality of pre fabricated wall panelssecured to each other to form the walls of said building and a pluralityof prefabricated roof panels secured to the upper edges of said wallpanels forming the roof of said building wherein each of said wallpanels is formed from at least one pair of longitudinally extendingstructural sheets positioned. in superposed edge to edge relation andhaving upper and lower beams secured thereto and deiining the upper andlower edges of said walls and a plurality of studs connecting saidbeams, said studs being so positioned as to denne a plurality of panelareas and said structural sheets being bent intermediate their ends ateach of said studs to cause said wall to be bowed outwardly in aplurality of substantially at areas, and wherein said roof panels areprovided with a plurality of ribs, the upper edges of which are cut todei-lne a plurality of lat areas, additional structural sheets securedto the ribs and being bent intermediate their ends at the juncture ofsaid flat areas of said ribs to cause said roof to be bowed upwardly ina plurality of flat areas of the same configuration as said walls.

3. A building formed from a plurality of prefabricated wall panelssecured to each other to form the walls of said building and a pluralityof prefabricated roof panels secured to the upper edges of said wallpanels forming the roof of said building wherein each of said wallpanels is formed from at least one pair of longitudinally extendingstructural sheets positioned in superposed edge to edge relation andhaving upper and lower beams secured thereto and defining the upper andlower edges of said walls and a plurality of studs connecting saidbeams, said studs being so positioned as to define three panel areas andsaid structural sheets being bent intermediate their ends at each ofsaid studs to cause said wall to be bowed outwardly in threesubstantially flat areas, and wherein said roof panels are provided witha plurality of ribs, the upper edges of which are cut to denne three natareas, additional structural sheets secured to the ribs and being bentintermediate their ends at the juncture of said flat areas of said ribsto cause said roof to be bowed upwardly in thrlflee flat areas of thesame configuration as said wa s.

MELVIN O. BRANNON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

